Doll Eyes
by ThexShipper
Summary: It's been years since Misaki Mei was involved with the Class 3-3 incident. Now, coming back to her hometown after graduating from university, she decided to become a teacher for that cursed class, using her other eye to look for the "dead one". Except this time, Mei's doll eye is not going to be much of a help.
1. Prologue

**A/N Hello readers! Welcome to my second fanfiction, "Doll Eyes"! Just a warning, parts of this story may contain...vivid descriptions, so be warned. Oh, and before I forget, thank you for checking out this story! I'm always open to new suggestions on improving my writing skills, so feel free to leave a comment! Now, I'll stop bothering you and let you read the prologue! Enjoy!**

* * *

 _ **Prologue**_

Years before, she was feared. What did they fear, you ask? They feared her eye; the one she always hid behind that eye patch, the one never to be seen. She was distant, like the whisper of a shadow. But that all changed when he came. After all, he was the first one to treat her like she wasn't a ghost. Then again, everything changed that year, for him and her. Not that it matters now, after all these years. You should see her, coming back to the secluded village after leaving for university; it's like she's a completely different person. She was no longer cold towards everyone. Instead, she would always smile and start conversations!

Despite the change in her personality, she hasn't changed, physically. Yes, she can still foresee a person's death before it happens, so perhaps it was a blessing she offered to become a teacher in that haunted classroom. That way, she can pick out the "dead one" of each year. It's an awfully sad sight to see though. The "dead" kid would always cry and beg for mercy until their very last breath. Of course, that didn't change anything. They were dead to begin with, so why should it matter? Well, that's what Misaki Mei always said to herself, but it didn't get much easier. It never will.

* * *

 **-Prologue Chapter: Returning Home-**

"Welcome back, Mei!" Kouichi greeted, hugging me as soon as I paid the cab driver and thanked him. I must've been a bothersome customer, asking for him to drive me all the way to the countryside.

I returned his hug and giggled at his way of greeting me, catching a waft of Kouichi's scent. Of course, he smelt like the village. Like the flowers, like wood, and...a dollhouse. So he heard about my return from Yuki, huh?

"How nice of you to wait for me here," I said, gently pulling away from his embrace.

"Well, I heard that you were returning home, so I figured that I might as well wait for you to arrive," he said nonchalantly.

I guess we both changed in the years that I was away for; more relaxed than before.

It felt like a lifetime ago since I left. The few times I returned during summertime was always brief, and city life was just completely different from living here. And to be honest, this town isn't even that small. But really, I missed the freshness of the air and the peace back here in the village. More importantly, I missed _him_. Even though I don't remember exactly what happened when we visited the temple, I know that something happened between us. It's like a bond that was linked between us through our experiences together.

"So, what's new?" I asked.

He knew exactly what I was asking; I can tell by the way his eyes darkened. "Still the same," he replied.

"I see..."

I guess I shouldn't be expecting too much. Even after all these years, the rules of Class 3-3 wouldn't just change randomly. However, it's common knowledge now that one must kill the "dead one" in order to save the students and their families (I'm surprised that our memories of that knowledge weren't wiped). The hard part here is finding them. Almost every year, at least a few casualties caused by students happen. Those students there are slowly driven insane by the desire to survive that they begin rampaging, killing whomever they suspect. I'm pretty sure something similar to that happened when we were on that mountain too...

"The reason why I felt like I had to come back," I suddenly said. "It was to become a teacher for Class 3-3."

"Huh?"

I look up, right into Kouichi's eyes. "If I use my other eye, I can figure out who the 'dead one' is! Then no one will die!"

Kouichi laughed, though I can tell that he's still quite tense. "That is very nice of you, Mei. But are you sure you want to do this? It can be dangerous keeping the students under control when they're so on edge."

I smiled. "That's why I have you here."

He seemed to be taken aback by that comment; in a good way, I'll assume. Happy with the outcome, I patted him on the back and walked towards my hometown. Gosh, I really missed this place.

"Hey!" Kouichi called after me. "Wait up!"

I turned back to face him. "Try to catch up if you can!"

I can barely wait to see how everyone's doing.

* * *

 **A/N Thank you for reading the prologue of Another! For those of you that don't know, "Yuki" is the name of Mei's aunt, you know, the doll maker that lives with Mei. I know that the prologue is pretty short, sorry about that. Anyways I hope you enjoyed reading this! I'll try and upload as much as possible, so stay tuned!**


	2. Chapter 1: Reunion

**A/N Hello, readers! Let me start by apologizing for my long absence. There is no excuse other than my laziness, and I apologize. I was having trouble coming up with the complete plotline for "Doll Eyes", but I think I have the gist of it down now. Thank you so much for your patience. I know it's been a long time, so this chapter is going to be (hopefully) longer. Once again, sorry for my long absence, and I hope you enjoy this chapter.**

* * *

 _ **Chapter 1: Reunion**_

A couple of days has passed since my return. Though my strength still hasn't fully recovered from the trip back, I spent most of the past days catching up with the villagers. I tried to talk to most of the villagers (yes, I have realized that my relationship with everyone isn't so good), but it does get awkward at times. As you know, I wasn't particularly popular with my peers before, and it certainly didn't make it better when I was chosen to be ignored for the year back when I was in Class 3-3. Thankfully, everyone seems to have gotten over the incident. Most of the conversations were just small talk, like how beautiful the weather was and what our plans for the future were.

Another common topic was of Class 3-3, though that's mostly because I somehow always switch to the topic of Class 3-3. As I expected, the curse of Class 3-3 still holds strong. However, the casualties have decreased significantly since they now know that killing the "dead one" will cease the needless bloodshed. However, finding the "dead one" is probably the biggest problem. With the students so on edge, it's not uncommon that students begin to kill one another out of panic. Because of this, most of the teachers decide to just stick to picking one student to take on the role of "the one that does not exist". Can't blame them, though, it is the best way to minimize the casualties. That is, until now. I can use my doll eye to find any traces of "death" staining one's body. Most of the people I brought this up to were against it, like Kouichi-kun, but there was nothing they could do to convince me otherwise. There was an unspoken truth to my proposal: the difficult part isn't _finding_ the "dead one", it is having to _kill_ them. After that, the conversation gets even more awkward.

Out of Yuuya, Naoya, Kouichi, and me, I was the only one to go to a university so far away. Yuuya and Naoya even went to the same university, and none of their universities were over a two-hour drive from the village, so they could visit the village often. So somewhere between that time, the three of them have become even better friends than before. When I came back, they all seemed comfortable around me even though I haven't seen them in a while. I guess it doesn't matter now when we've all graduated. Yuuya is making a living by selling his paintings (he's always had an affinity with art). Naoya became a gym teacher at the local elementary school to avoid all the drama at the middle school. Kouichi-kun is currently aspiring to become an author, particularly one that specializes in horror and supernatural genres. In the end, we all have our interests and dreams, so it's nice to see that we are all happy with our current lives.

Aside from the reunion, I've also spent some of my time preparing for the upcoming school year. The facility agrees with my proposal to teach at the school, and since they are desperate to have any help regarding Class 3-3, I am able to teach as soon as the next school year starts. I took a tour around the school facility and was informed on some etiquettes and rules inside the school. The whole time, I couldn't help but wonder: how many people have been sacrificed for the sake of Class 3-3? The school hasn't changed much, but I was surprised by how good the condition of the school was in. I guess they had to take care of it somehow. As I take a look at the infamous Class 3-3, I took a deep breath. Starting soon, I will have to teach inside this cursed classroom, in which every death of a child is on my account. I will have to take on the guilt of killing the "dead child". If I were to hesitate in the process, the innocent others will die, one by one. No wonder everyone was so worried about me teaching here; the pressure is overwhelming me just by thinking about it. But still, this is something that I have to do, no matter what.

 _~April 1st~_

I take a deep breath as I step into the school building. Though I've been here before countless times, both as a student and a teacher-to-be, I know that today will be different. As a teacher of Class 3-3, my duty is not only to teach the students, but also to protect them from harm. I can feel my heartbeat increasing more and more as I walk closer to the class. After taking another deep breath, I slide the door open.

* * *

 **A/N Well, that's it for today, folks! In case you didn't know, the first day of school in Japan is April 1st and the last day of school is March 31st. I hope you can keep that in mind for the rest of this story. Once again, I apologize for being absent for practically half a year; hopefully, I can update more regularly from now on. In the next chapter, we will be entering the struggles of Mei as she tries to find the "dead one", and of course, what comes after... Anyways, thank you for reading!**


	3. Chapter 2: Who is Dead?

**A/N Hello, readers! Welcome back to another chapter of "Doll Eyes"! I was hoping to update this Fanfiction earlier than this, but it ended up being longer than I had expected, so sorry about that... Aside from that, I hope that you'll still enjoy this chapter!**

* * *

 ** _Chapter 2: Who is Dead?_**

 _I've forgotten how quiet the classroom was. After spending so much time in regular classrooms where death is just another joke, the tension and fear radiating off of the poor students in Class 3-3 are uncomfortable; but somehow, it's also nostalgic._

As I slide open the classroom door, the students all looked up at me. Most of them were already in their seats aside from some, who were talking among themselves until I showed up. The classroom is exactly like I remembered it. The old desk in the corner of the room is still there, even more, aged now. Realizing that I was standing in the doorway awkwardly, I cleared my throat and stepped into the room, trying to look as professional as possible.

I try for a reassuring smile. "Hello, class. I'm the homeroom teacher of Class 3-3 and I'll be teaching all of you for the rest of this year. You can call me Misaki-sensei. It's a pleasure to meet all of you."

Despite my best efforts, I felt like my voice was shaking too much. The students just stare blankly at me. Are they bored? Are they too nervous to talk? do I look weird? Is there something wrong with me? All of these questions swam around my head until a kid raised her hand.

"Huh? Oh, yes?" I stuttered.

The girl gazed innocently at me. "Um, Sensei, what are we going to do today?"

"Today?" I echoed dumbly. "Oh, right, yeah! About that…"

Though I don't plan on telling them, I plan on getting rid of the "dead one" as soon as possible. Students shouldn't be thinking about dying; it's a thought for later on in their lives. At some point, I'll uncover my eyepatch. Of course, I didn't tell my students any of that. Instead, I answered the girl's question with something harmless.

As more and more time passed spending time with the kids, I begin to feel more at ease. While none of us mentions the curse of Class 3-3, there's an underlying sense of darkness.

 _I need to find the "dead one" fast._

It's lunchtime right now, so the students are left to their own devices. Just before leaving the classroom, I lifted my eyepatch to show my doll eye.

 _Who is the extra?_

* * *

 _Later that day…_

I stand in front of my bathroom mirror, touching the skin around my green, artificial eye. Doubt rises up.

I thought I was ready.

But I wasn't.

Even though I'm not actually "killing" anyone, since the extra is already dead, but it doesn't make it any easier for me. The girl seemed like any other student. There was nothing different about her. I even checked her profile. She has a family, a life.

 _Was I mistaken?_ I thought.

No. It's just that I don't want to see the harsh reality. The dead one always blended in; that's why the students kept on dying right until the end for more than a decade. The extra is always someone unexpected. That's how it's always been.

I take a deep breath. No matter how much I want to just flee from this reality, I must continue on. Those innocent children deserve to live in peace, blissful about the hardships of life aside from attending school.

"Mei?" I hear a voice call out from downstairs.

I hurry and put my eye patch on, stepping outside and heading downstairs.

"Kouichi-Kun, why are you here?" I ask.

Blushing, he replied. "Ah, well… I wanted to see how your first day teaching went."

"It went well, I guess. It feels weird to be back there after all this time…" I look down.

 _Should I tell him?_

"Yeah, I know what you mean. It holds bad memories for all of us."

And then, like the curious man he is, Kouichi-Kun picks up my uneasiness.

"Mei, are you okay?"

 _I guess I should tell him after all._

"I found the dead one," I say bluntly.

There's this awkward silence between us when I said it. Until Kouichi-Kun broke it, anyways.

"I-is that so?" he laughed humorlessly before sobering. "What are you going to do with it?"

This was what I was trying to avoid. "I'm going to get rid of it."

"Mei…"

I muster a small smile. "I have to do this. If I don't, those poor students will start dying, one by one. None of us wants that."

"You don't have to be the one doing this."

I was getting tired of this. "And you didn't have to be the one to kill your aunt, either." I countered.

Not knowing what else to say, I walked away.

"Please, don't make this any harder for me, Kouichi-Kun," I said softly, turning back to look at him one last time, before making my way outside.

I'm glad he didn't come after me.

* * *

 **A/N Well, that's it for today! Sorry it's so short, even after so long. Still, I hope you enjoy this chapter. In the next chapter, we'll finally have some action going into the story, so you can look forward to that. As always, thank you for reading!**


	4. Chapter 3: Procrastination

**A/N Hello, readers! Yes, yes, I know… I'm the worst, leaving you guys on the edge for so long… I would say that from now on, I can do better, but I don't know… Don't worry, though, everything is fine with me, so that's good.**

 **Just a recap, in the last chapter, Mei used her doll eye to find the extra. Unfortunately, Mei is struggling with the fact that she has to kill the extra. And now, we enter the third chapter. Enjoy!**

* * *

 _ **Chapter 3: Procrastination**_

" _No, no, please… Misaki Sensei, don't kill me!" The girl screamed as I slammed my bat against her fragile skull, my face as dull as a puppet… a doll._

 _*Crack*_

I jump up from my bed, gasping. My body is drenched in sweat, and I'm having trouble catching my breath. I look beside me, where my alarm clock is. It's 3:00, in the morning.

 _What the hell was that?_

I had trouble falling asleep after that nightmare, so I just got up. I could get a head start on my teaching material. Plus, staying in bed would do no good but to allow me to ponder more about that nightmare. After everything, even someone who has seen a lot of bloodsheds can still be shaken up, I guess.

"Yo, Mei!" Kouichi-Kun called out to me from outside, waving and smiling at me through the window.

I jumped, startled at the sudden noise. "W-what are you doing, Kouichi-Kun? You're gonna wake the whole neighbourhood up with that loud of a voice!"

"Oh, my bad. Hehe…"

I sighed. "Whatever, just come up here. The door shouldn't be locked."

He smiled again. "Yeah, yeah. Thanks for having me over!"

I returned his smile, even if it was strained. I'm glad that he's leaving our previous conversation forgotten. It would have been too awkward to talk to him otherwise. My smile falters as an image of my nightmare flashes in my mind.

" _Die, extra."_

Before I can do anything, footsteps ring out from the staircase.

"Good morning, Mei!" Kouichi-Kun calls out as he reaches the top floor.

I shake my dark thoughts away and try to smile again. "G-good morning!"

"Are you okay? You look very pale…" he frowned.

I freeze.

"R-really? Oh, I guess I haven't been getting enough sleep, then…" I give a weak, nervous laugh.

Kouichi's eyes darken. "Is it related to what happened yesterday?"

When I didn't respond, he sighed. "I wasn't planning on bringing up what happened yesterday since it made you so uncomfortable. But if this is affecting you this much, shouldn't you at least consult with me?"

I take a deep breath and muster my happiest smile. "Please, Kouichi-kun, it's nothing you should be concerning yourself with. I'm fine."

Before he could answer, I quickly add, "Ah, it's getting late! I should be cooking breakfast!"

As soon as I'm facing away from him, I bite my lips. _Kouichi-Kun doesn't need to know about this._

"Good morning, class!" I announced as I walked into the classroom of Class 3-3. The class quiets down and I open my mouth to explain today's topic.

Throughout the entire day, I was sneaking glances at the girl, the extra. Maybe if I find some traces or signs that she is indeed dead, it wouldn't be so difficult, or so I tell myself. There's no way to tell if someone is the extra just by "being observant". If it was so easy, then the school should not have felt so pressured to have me teach as soon as possible. Nevertheless, my attempts were futile, as expected.

I don't want to kill this innocent soul, who has no idea that she is already dead, and will be the cause of her classmates' death. At the very least, I can wait for a little while. Students don't usually start dying until a while later.

 _I'm such a fool._

One afternoon, a student of mine was talking to me about a homework assignment that he didn't understand. That is when it happened.

He was spinning his mechanical pencil, but somehow, it flew out of his hand. The tip of the pencil went straight for his eye, piercing it whole with one shot.

I stood there, still holding my pen. It has been so long since I've seen something like this. I've forgotten how this feeling of loss felt. My body was frozen, unable to do anything.

Out of surprise and pain, the boy let out a blood-curdling scream. He started to tread backwards, all reason lost through the never-ending panic that rose until he backed up to an open window. Finally, it seemed like my body can move again.

"Wait, calm down!" I yell, trying to get the boy's attention.

But it was too late. The force of him hitting the wall knocked him off balance, and he went headfirst out the window. I start running, dropping the pencil that I was holding and knocking the notebook on the ground. Time seemed to slow.

"No!" I reach a hand out to catch him, out that cursed open window, but it was too late. The only thing I could do was watch. Watch as the boy looked directly at me, the pencil still sticking out of one of his eyes, with blood oozing from the wound. He gave me a look of sheer terror, a look that used to be so familiar to me. A look of an animal that is about to die.

At that moment, the boy's eyes seemed to pierce through my very soul. It felt like he knew. He knew that I hesitated on killing the extra, that his death was caused by my selfishness and incompetence. It was my fault that he is falling to his death.

And then I hear a crack. The impact of falling headfirst has cracked his neck, if not anything else. Blood starts to pour from the back of his head, pooling around his entire body. The blood streaming from his damaged eye has stopped. His body twitched, and even though I knew that he was dead, I felt the urge to call someone, anyone, to try and save him.

My legs gave out beneath me, and I collapse to the ground, my hands still on the railings of the window. My ears ring loudly in my head until I'm completely deaf. Deaf to the teachers that came to the classroom to investigate the screams, and to the eventual call for the police and ambulance. I didn't hear any of it, because there's only one voice in my head.

 _It's all my fault._

The school has closed for a few days because of what had happened. For the most part, the students were acting normal, or at least they are pretending to be. It's understandable. Even I would want to pretend as if nothing has happened these past few days. But I've had enough of avoiding and pretending. If I don't stop this now, only more of my students will die starting today.

When the bell rang for the students to leave school, I quickly gathered my materials and headed for the girl.

"Yuri, can I speak to you privately?" I asked.

* * *

 **A/N Well, that's it for now. Things are becoming way more interesting now, ain't it? Sorry to leave you guys on a cliff-hanger, I know that's mean of me after being away for so long. But hey! This chapter is much longer than the last one, and inspiration is coming to me more easily now, so hopefully, another chapter is coming up our way soon. As always, I am up for any feedback to improve my writing, so feel free to leave a comment. Have a wonderful day!**


	5. Chapter 4: Blame

**A/N Hello! I'm back from my long hiatus again. I'm sorry for my lack of motivation regarding this fanfic…**

 **In the last chapter, Mei made up her mind to kill the "extra one" of Class 3-3 after a long mental struggle. After the tragic death of her student one day after school, she realized that to save her entire class, she must make sacrifices. As soon as the school was reopened, she called out to Yuri (the "extra one") to kill her.**

* * *

 _ **Chapter 4: Blame**_

I walked a few feet in front of Yuri, who followed me closely to the school shed. The sun was already a golden shade, even though the temperature was on a constant rise. By the time we reached the broken shed at the back of the school, the heavy shadows made everything look even more ominous than it already looks. I suppose it is only fitting that my first…crime will take place in a hidden, dark place. After all, there's no turning back from this point.

On our way there, she looked more nervous than I felt deep inside. My heart was pounding so loud that I could feel the rush of blood in my head, making me dizzy. In my hands were books that I use for my lectures, but hidden between them was a kitchen knife that I had quickly gotten from my house. Meanwhile, Yuri's anxiety was far from hidden. She was fidgeting with her skirt, crinkling it within her fist, letting it go, and repeating the steps over again. We walk in an awkward silence that none of us are brave enough to break. It wasn't until I've stopped that she spoke.

"Um, Misaki-sensei, what are we doing at the school shed?"

I take a deep breath. "Yuri, do you know about the famous curse of Class 3-3 and why everyone fears it?"

Yuri looks at me with a look that can only be described as bewilderment, but answers anyway. "Every year, there's a student that was supposed to be dead but was brought back to life. Unless the extra is killed, someone closely related to a classmate will die, once per month."

"I've been keeping this secret, but my other eye," I take off my eye patch to show my discoloured doll eye. "It can see death."

The poor girl's eyes lit up in hope, and all the confusion left her composure. "Really? So you already know the extra? Who is it?"

I wince at the enthusiasm of the girl and look at the darkening sky. "Yes. The dead one is…"

Without me having to say it, I think Yuri understood in the end. I pulled the knife from between the textbooks and dropped everything else that I was holding. Everything clattered onto the soft soil with a thump. A little part in my head ached at the thought of dirtying the books, that I may have to replace something. But as I focus on the shaking girl in front of me, I could only stare.

Yuri looked at me with disbelief. As I got closer, her knees buckled, and she slumped down. Slowly, she started to shake her head sluggishly, as if trying to comfort herself. Her mouth was opened – whether to scream or say something, I didn't know – but no sound came out.

"I'm sorry, Yuri," I whispered, almost like a prayer to ease my sin.

There was silence as the kitchen knife finds its victim. Blood covered my surroundings, my knife, my hands, my clothes, the soft soil. Yet, I can only stare at it. I feel nothing but emptiness, like a hole in my chest. I stand up lifelessly, stumbling a little when my head got a bit lightheaded. I grab the knife by its handle and yank it out of Yuri's heart. The body should disappear itself, so will her blood. Every single trace that she existed as a student of Class 3-3 will be erased without me having to do anything. Anything but kill her, that is. Still, the sight of Yuri's blood on my hands made me more sick. Quickly, grabbing my belongings, I hurried away.

It was only when I cleaned up every little detail that I suddenly felt the reality hit me like a boulder. Tears started to flow freely down my face as I was standing in front of the mirror of the school girl's bathroom. Images of Yuri's death flashed through my head. They make me so sick that I threw up in the sink, coughing and gagging continuously for ten minutes straight. The images hurt, but none of that hurts as much as the realization that I won't be punished. Not by the school, or Yuri's family, or her friends. They'll forget about her, and eventually, I'll move on as well. I can't help but look up at the dark ceiling.

 _Is this what I'll have to experience every year?_

After I was finally able to muster enough strength to walk back home, the sky was already dark purple in colour. I probably looked so distraught that Kouichi-Kun ran towards me as soon as he saw my face and bombarded me with questions. My guess was that he probably waited for me to return home outside my door and that he grew more and more worried as minutes passed without seeing me. Looking at him now, his face is a mess itself. His hair was all over the place and there were bags under his eyes as if he had stayed up all night. There was a whole wave of emotions surfacing: frustration, impatience, relief, but mostly concern. At the sight of him, I couldn't help but embrace him tightly.

"Mei, where were y-" His face turned red as I suddenly crashed on top of him. "W-What are you doing? Are you okay?"

He held me with a gentle, but protective force. It was so comforting that I felt as if all my worries could go away if he held me long enough, but I wasn't so cowardly as to find an easy way out of facing my sins. I gently pushed away from Kouichi-Kun.

"I'm fine, just a little stressed out." I lied in what I hope was a soothing voice. "I'm sorry to worry you for so long."

I walked past him towards the front door, hiding my face so he couldn't see the tears threatening to overcome me once again. I almost make it inside when I hear Kouichi-Kun say something that makes my blood run cold.

"You got rid of the extra one, didn't you?"

My hand freezes on the doorknob on the door that was already half-opened. Cold sweat running down my neck and back. My eyes are wide from shock. Shaking, I slowly turn towards him.

"How did you know?" I ask him, even though it was obviously my actions that gave me away. I wasn't a starring actor, after all.

Kouichi-Kun looked at me with those questioning eyes filled with curiosity and pity. What an odd combination… "Mei, you don't have to lie to me, or yourself. You did what was best for your students, and you know that."

Despite my exhaustion, I close the front door (to avoid my aunt from overhearing our conversation) and turn to Kouichi-Kun. "You don't know that. You…were not there to see…" I half-yelled, tears once again begin to roll down my cheeks. "Yuri was a good student. She didn't deserve any of this…"

"Mei…" He started to move closer to me in a cautious fashion.

"Please…" My words stopped him in his track. "Please leave me alone for now…"

After an agonizingly long moment, Kouichi-Kun straightened up. He took one last, painfilled look at me before walking off.

"I'll be there when you need me, Mei."

Those were his last words before leaving.

* * *

 **A/N Okay, so there are some small details that I would like to clarify on:**

 **-While Mei was taking Yuri to the shed, Yuri expressed an unusual nervousness. It could be misinterpreted as her already knowing that she was dead a long time ago, but she was actually nervous because she thinks she's in trouble. She is a model student after all.**

 **-No one knew that Reiko Mikami (the extra from the main storyline) existed within Class 3-3 except for Mei and Kouichi until they forgot as well. That's why the assumption that only students can be "extra ones" still applies to this day.**

 **Thank you for reading "Doll Eyes"! And even though it's kinda late, Happy New Year! As always, feel free to leave suggestions on how I can improve.**


	6. Chapter 5: As Normal As It Gets

**A/N Howdy! I'm back from my long time away! It's been getting pretty boring just being in lockdown, so I figured I might as well stop being lazy and start on this fanfiction again. I'm really sorry about the very inconsistent updates. Please forgive me…**

 **I pretty much have the entire story planned out in my head, but there are still spots that I am unsure about. Hopefully, this would mean an easier time for me to write out entire chapters. I'll try to get as much done while I'm stuck inside…**

* * *

 _ **Chapter 5: As Normal As It Gets**_

As expected, no one remembers Yuri. The next day, when I open the classroom door, everything seems exactly as it had been every other day. Some of my students see me enter and wave at me, a big smile on their face. I smile just as brightly at their innocence and ignorance. It is as if Yuri was never here in the first place. Even though that statement is technically correct, it never fails to bring a shiver down my spine. Guilt rushes through my entire body. My smile falters.

 _I'm the worst human being alive, killing my student in cold blood and hiding that fact from both Kouichi-kun and my students. How could I smile after committing such horrible acts?_

At that moment, I feel such loathing for myself that I can't bring myself to breathe. My chest tightens, and I grip my clothes close to my heart, trying to catch my breath. And then, as suddenly as it had come, my insatiable guilt vanishes. All that is left in me is the relief that Class 3-3 is free from the terrors of witnessing and hearing about another victim of the Misaki curse, or whatever it is, if only for this year. I suppose once the year passes, I'll forget about Yuri, too.

"Sensei, are you okay?" A student asks me.

I look up and realize that I have been standing in the doorway for almost five minutes now. Embarrassed, I clear my throat, stepping into the classroom.

"Yes, I'm alright," I say, tilting my head and giving the student a friendly smile.

At least my relationship with the students is better than before. I still remember the first day of school, when half of the students ignored me when I came through the front door. Though I guess they can't be blamed. After knowing that I was placed in Class 3-3 back when I was attending the school, even I couldn't help but feel my heart drop at the dread of going to school. I should know more than anyone else how horrific that year was. It was the year that my twin sister died, the year that half of my classmates died, and the year that I had to see my close friend commit murder for my sake. That cursed classroom was the very reason why I vowed to become a teacher in the first place: to make sure the same horrors will not plague any more students. And though I now know how optimistic and naïve I had been, I don't intend on running away from reality.

I've done it once before, but I won't do it again.

 _~Later that day~_

I let out a puff of breath when the bell rang. Students excitedly pack up their belongings and head out the door with their friends, smiling and chatting. Once the classroom is empty, I proceed to erase the blackboard, tuck in some chairs left out, and straighten out the desks. Though a few students have offered to help me – Yuri had been one of them – as per usual in school, I refused. These students have enough on their minds as it is, and with whatever power I have, I want their high school life to be fun, normal. I want them to grow up without trauma. It was a luxury that Kouichi-kun and I never had.

After I am satisfied with how the classroom looks, I pack up my stuff and head to the school office to do some marking.

"Misaki-san?" I hear someone call right behind me. The voice is so soft, I felt the breath right behind my neck. I jump out of my seat, a scream ready to be unleashed.

Until I realize that the teacher's office is empty, except for the janitor.

"Oh my, are you okay?" The janitor asks, a worried look on his face.

I catch my breath and manage to nod through my paralyzed muscles. "Y-yes, I'm fine. Just a bit too focused on my…"

I trail off as I take in my surroundings. The school is completely dark, albeit a small light coming from the sunset outside. The school is dead silent. The clock reads "6:30". Just how long did I work here? And how did I not notice the other teachers leaving?

Realizing that the janitor is still here, and is uncomfortably gaping at me, I try to relax my pose and say in what I think is a nonchalant tone. "Ah, I must've lost track of time."

The janitor lets out a chuckle that seems all too forced. "Well, alright. I'll leave you to it. Just make sure you don't stay much longer. The school's closing soon."

I bow my head politely and thank the janitor for his reminder. Still feeling a bit out of it, I proceed to walk home.

As I walk home, I couldn't help but wonder what Kouichi-kun was doing. He must have waited a long time for me to return. But as much as I want to see him, I can't help but dread our meeting. Neither of us can forget our conversation yesterday. I don't think I ever will. But when I reach my street, he isn't there.

Part of me is relieved that I wouldn't have to confront him, but part of me is heartbroken that he isn't there for me. Defeated, I unlock and open the front door only to see Kouichi-kun sitting at the kitchen table with a cup to his lips. As soon as he sees me, he carefully places his cup down on the table and walks over to me.

"Mei, you're coming back awfully late these days," Yuki says as she comes downstairs. "I asked Kouichi to come inside since he was waiting outside."

And then she left, leaving Kouichi-kun and me alone again.

Kouichi-kun grabs my shoulders, signalling that I should look at him. In the eyes.

"Mei," he says in the most serious tone I've ever heard from him. "We need to talk."

* * *

 **A/N And that's it for today, folks! I hope you enjoyed this chapter. I wanted to write something less intense than the last chapter. Sorry, there's not a lot of action going on, and I certainly cannot promise that the next chapter is going to be any more action-oriented. Well, let me know if you would prefer to have more action going on in the story.**


	7. Chapter 6: The Colour of Death

**A/N Hello! Welcome back to another chapter of** _ **Doll Eyes**_ **! It's almost been two months since I last updated. It's just getting harder and harder to find motivation for this story… Don't worry though, I won't drop this fanfic (at least I don't intend on giving up). I wrote the first few paragraphs right after writing the last chapter, but just sort of gave up after a while. I'm such a procrastinator.**

* * *

 _ **Chapter 6: The Color of Death**_

I practically jump on to Kouichi-kun.

His eyes widen in surprise at my move. "Huh? W-what are you doing, Mei?"

Every strand of pain, guilt, and sorrow I have collected throughout the past few weeks suddenly come undone. I begin to sob, right at the doorway of the house. But it doesn't matter anymore. I unleash everything on my mind. And being the kind and honest person he is, Kouichi-kun stayed with me through all my antics, comforting me when I needed it.

And then, finally, I calm down. My face is a mess. Dried tears stick to my face like sandpaper, eyes swollen and red, snot running down my face, it surprises me that Kouichi-kun can look at me like nothing is wrong. Instead, his serious demeanour changes to one capable of great kindness. He pulls me into a comforting hug, patting my head like a father would a child. We stay like that, completely out of place on the ground, in front of the door.

After a long moment of tranquillizing silence, Kouichi-kun tilts my head slightly so we are facing each other. His hands never leave me.

"I'm sorry you had to go through all that alone," he whispers soothingly after I pour my heart out to him.

I shake my head, taking on a tiny smile now that the weight has been lifted. "No, it's my fault for not telling you anything. I…I didn't know how to face you after what I've done."

Kouichi-kun let out a sigh. "I'm not sure if you remember. On that day, when we went to Sakitani Kinenkan*, I think I did something similar."

I look up at him in shock. I recall that something did happen, and that triggered the stop to the curse, but I don't remember _what_ exactly stopped it. Before I can respond, though, Kouichi-kun continued.

"It's a bit hazy," his eyes darkened, taking on an almost empty look. "But I think I was the one who put a stop to the curse. I killed the extra one."

I feel like the entire atmosphere just got ten times colder when he said that. I don't know if it was the blank look that Kouichi-kun had on his face or the words that came out of his mouth in that instance. Something about it just seemed so…lifeless. Instinctively, I shuddered at the thought of Kouichi-kun, a person so lively and open that it's infectious, being described as _lifeless_.

Keep in mind that Kouichi-kun and I are still on the floor, right in front of the entrance. And he's still embracing me rather tightly. Then, tighter and tighter. I started to feel more and more uncomfortable kneeling on the hardwood floor.

"K-Kouichi-kun! You're hurting me!" I squeaked, suddenly fearing him. My eyes slowly widened when he didn't so much as react to my voice. "Kouichi-kun?"

"Why are you two still on the floor? Isn't it uncomfortable?" a voice called out from the dining room. It was Yuki, holding an empty mug in her hand. Naturally, her head was tilted and she had a slight frown on her face as she took in the view.

The sudden appearance of Yuki seemed to have snapped Kouichi-kun out of whatever trance he was in. He blinked a few times before tilting his head towards me. After realizing what just took place, he let go of me in one swift movement, looking just as disturbed as I felt on the inside.

"Ah, I'm sorry, Mei. I didn't mean to…" he trailed off as we tried to wrap our heads around what just happened.

I flustered, flailing my hands and shaking my head as I quickly tried to respond. "Oh no, don't feel bad. It wasn't that bad."

Yuki, who was still standing at the same place, relaxed. Her tense face relaxed into a more open one.

"Well, I'll leave you guys to whatever you were doing." She said while chuckling. "Ah, it must be nice to be so in love with each other."

Then she disappeared into the kitchen to fill her mug up again with water, came out again, and went upstairs. All the while, the two of us were staring at the spot she was standing at with our mouths agape. Slowly, we turned our heads to look at one another. Simultaneously, our faces flushed red like a tomato. In silence.

I couldn't take the embarrassment anymore and turned to face the white wall, covering my face with both of my hands.

 _I can't believe that just happened! Even though it's not a secret that we're in love, it's just so embarrassing to have someone see us in that state!_ I thought, my thoughts jumbling.

I felt a cold hand touch my shoulder, gently bringing me to face Kouichi-kun again. His face was still flushed with colour, and his eyes were downcast with shame. I was still kneeling on the floor, so he was squatting. One hand was on my shoulder, while the other was on his neck, rubbing up and down.

"I'm sorry about what happened," he said softly, still avoiding my searching gaze. "Something just, I don't know, kind of overcame me at that moment."

I tilted my head. "Something overcame you?"

Kouichi-kun nodded. "When I was recalling that memory of when we were at Sakitani Kinenkan, my head suddenly got hazier the harder I tried. It wasn't like the memory was hazy, but more like I was losing the _control_ I have over my body." Nervous laughter. "It felt like I wasn't myself anymore…"

"It's like you were possessed," I said without really thinking about it.

By now, the humorous mood from before has shifted to one that was sombre. We have all but forgotten the embarrassing moment we accidentally got ourselves in. Somehow, this situation reminds me of what happened earlier today. There was a long silence after what I said until Kouichi-kun broke the silence once again.

"When you put it like that, I guess it did feel like I was possessed." He said awkwardly.

More silence.

"Well, I'm fine now, so don't worry about me." Kouichi-kun bent down and pulled me up from my kneeling position. His touch was still hesitant and gentle – too gentle as if he was worried that he would hurt me from the smallest bump. He gave me a closed eye smile that seemed too tense to be genuine. If it were any other time, I would comfort him. But I was speechless. I couldn't think of anything to say to him. What in the world should I say when my lover just seemingly got possessed?!

Instead, I just said the first thing that came to my mind. "Do you think you can stay the night?"

 _Great job, Mei. I just invited a guy to stay over for the first time, right after something awkward happened. Just my luck._ I silently scolded myself. Despite that, I was a bit curious about what Kouichi-kun's reaction would be.

Meanwhile, Kouichi-kun looked equally as thrown off by my wild proposal as I was. His smile was replaced with a comically horrified and nervous expression.

"Are you serious about that, Mei?" he asked. "What about…what about Yukiyo-san**?"

"It's fine. Yuki has been asking about you staying over for a while now." I say shyly. If I could, I would merge with the wall behind me and stay like that forever. This was by far the most embarrassing thing I've ever done, not to mention that all I've been doing today was embarrassing myself.

"I guess if you're okay with it, then I have no reason to complain, either," Kouichi-kun said while turning his head to a random object in the room. "Though I'll have to go back home to grab a change of clothes."

I nodded again and said softly, "I'm fine with that."

Kouichi-kun laughed, this time more genuine. "Well, if you'll excuse me. I'll see you later tonight." He said as he put on his shoes.

He kissed me on the forehead before opening the front door. As he stepped out, Kouichi-kun waved me goodbye. I returned the gesture with a smile, and kept that smile until the door closed.

Once I was alone, I walked over to the dining table and sat on one of the wooden chairs. I let out a long groan and slumped on my back. "I can't believe that just happened!"

"So Kouichi is finally going to stay over?"

I nearly jumped out of my chair. I look behind me only to see Yuki standing on the staircase with a grin on her face. How does she always manage to sneak up on me like that? I sighed in relief and managed to calm down. After all, I was still giddy and excited from Kouichi-kun staying over.

"Yuki! You almost gave me a heart attack." I half-heartedly reprimanded her.

"Sorry, sorry. I didn't mean to startle you like that," she teased. "I'm just here to tell you that I'll be going to bed. Wouldn't want to be the third wheel here, now would I?"

Before I could respond, she was gone, leaving me with my thoughts. I relax once again in the chair.

 _What a long day._ I thought, exhausted.

I don't know how long I stayed like that, but eventually, I heard the anticipated knock on the door. I bolted up, almost knocking my chair over in the process, and ran to answer the door to see Kouichi-kun with a shoulder bag carrying his belongings.

"Come on in!" I say, managing to not stumble over my words. "Please make yourself at home."

He nodded; a slight blush still visible even in the dark.

As I began to walk into the dining room, Kouichi-kun spoke.

"Um, Mei?" I turned, tilting my head. "Are we going to be sleeping…um…together?"

 _Why did he have to ask so bluntly?!_

"Yeah, that's right?" I answered meekly.

More awkward silence.

"Well, you can drop your stuff off on the couch. I'll be preparing upstairs, 'kay?" I said.

"Yeah, sure!"

I got halfway up the stairs before stopping again.

"Oh, I'll be taking a shower, so feel free to hop in bed and sleep first."

I ran up before Kouichi-kun even had a chance at responding. My heart was pounding like never before. And it's not even like we're going to do… _that._ Why was I so disoriented?

 _\- Later -_

I felt calmer after taking a shower. I took off my eyepatch and placed it on the bedside table. Kouichi-kun was already asleep beside me, and as I look over, I could see his chest slowly rise and deflate. But that wasn't the only thing I could see. My face twisted into an expression of pure terror, and I had to cover my mouth to stop myself from screaming out in bloody murder.

 _What I saw was the suffocating colour of death._

* * *

 **A/N Well, then. That didn't go as expected, even for me. I had something else planned, but I guess this works too. I feel proud of myself for making this chapter twice as long. This is the longest chapter I've written so far. I probably shouldn't be that proud, though, seeing as how long it took me to get this chapter out. Anyways, here are a few notes that I wanted to add:**

 ***Sakitani Kinenkan is the place where Kouichi killed his aunt, Reiko. In case you don't remember, Reiko brought Class 3-3 in an attempt to stop the curse from killing any more people. If you revisit the anime, then it can be seen from episode 10 to 12.**

 ****Yukiyo Misaki is the full name of Mei's aunt. I feel like I should've added that in chapter 1, but I'm too lazy to change this, so that's that. Kouichi isn't as close with Yukiyo, but did get to know her better through Mei, so they're on a first-name basis, but Kouichi still feels the need to add "san" to her name.**

 **\- I never specified this, but Kouichi is currently living alone. His father is still travelling around the world, though he does visit every once in a while, (I don't intend on having him visit Kouichi in this story since I know nothing about him). Since his mother and aunt passed away, he doesn't have any other family members near Yomiyama.**

 **I hope you enjoyed this extra-long chapter as compensation for being such a procrastinator.**


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